101st Regiment of Foot (Royal Bengal Fusiliers)

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The 101st Regiment of Foot (Royal Bengal Fusiliers) was a regiment of the British Army from 1862 to 1881 but with a lineage going back to 1652.

[edit] History

The regiment was formed as part of the Honourable East India Company's army firstly as a Guard of Honour in 1652. By 1756 it was the Bengal European Regiment - 'European' indicating it was composed of white soldiers, not Indian sepoys - and when this was split in 1765, it became the 1st Bengal European Regiment.

In 1846 it was the 1st Bengal (European) Fusiliers retaining this title when the regiment was transferred to the Crown after the 1857 Indian Mutiny. The "European" was dropped and then it was given Royal in its title to become 1st Royal Bengal Fusiliers in 1861. The regiment was then transferred to the British Army and renumbered as the 101st Regiment of Foot at the same time retaining the Royal Bengal name.

In 1881 it was combined with the 104th Regiment of Foot (Bengal Fusiliers) to form part of the new Royal Munster Fusiliers.

[edit] Battle honours

Plassey, Condore, Buxar, Rohilcund 1741, Sholinghur, Guzerat, Deig, Bhurtpore, Ghuznee 18382, Afghanistan 1839, Ferozeshah, Sobraon, Pegu, Delhi 1857, Lucknow